Climate denying Republicans can no longer take refuge in religion. Those who eschew the virtues of science have been morally defrocked by the Pope’s recent rejection. In the process of calling for bold environmental action, the Pope has admonished conservative critics in the U.S. and elsewhere. The Pope squarely addressed Republican climate deniers when he said, “It must be said…

Our efforts must be informed by science if we are to seriously address the threat of climate change. However, there are a significant number of people, corporations and governments that are resistant to scientific discourse. Science is at the heart of environmentalism. On a wide range of issues, it is the work of scientists that has brought important issues to…

For most chroniclers of recent history, April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day, marks the beginning of the modern environmental movement. It was a different time in so many ways. Instead of SUVs and hybrids, muscle cars and big sedans dominated the roads, guzzling leaded gas at an average cost of 35 cents per gallon. The exhaust spewed out their tailpipes mixed with…

Was 2014 the hottest year or wasn’t it – and does it matter? – Widely reported this past week was confirmation from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), concurring with the Japanese Meteorological Agency, that 2014 as the hottest year on record. NASA’s GISS Surface Temperature Analysis shows an average global temperature for the year at at 14.68° Celsius (58.42 Fahrenheit),…

For all those who support climate action, it is hard to find a reason to hope in the wake of the 2014 midterms. The fact that most of the new slate of Republicans deny the scientific consensus on climate change and support fossil fuels warrants our despair. President Obama cautions us to avoid cynicism. As Obama said in a recent…

Charles and David Koch are brothers and oil billionaires who have a long history of political interference and climate misinformation. Their multifarious support for fossil fuels has helped to slow America’s adoption of renewable energy. They have also undermined efforts to pass climate and energy legislation at both the state and national levels. They have even managed to influence the…

We may be able to leverage the threats posed by environmental degradation in a way the could contribute to human health and galvanize action on climate change. The deteriorating state of our environment has prompted research that shows how the preservation of the natural world augments our physical and mental wellbeing. Adverse health impacts from climate change combined with the…